
Samarco no longer expects operations to resume this year

Brazilian pellet maker Samarco said it no longer expects to resume operations this year, Reuters reported.
About 1,200 jobs will have to go in the states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo as a result.
On Wednesday, the company met with local unions to explain the situation following a second round of layoffs. At the meeting, Samarco's head of human resources, Benedito Waldson, said the company did not rule out the possibility of another 1,800 layoffs, local paper Diário do Comércio reported.
Operations have been paralyzed at its Germano iron ore complex in Minas Gerais since November's deadly tailings dam disaster.
Embattled Samarco had said previously it expected to restart pellet production at the complex by the start of the fourth quarter.
In late-May, Samarco managed to obtain an operating license from the city of Mariana, in Minas Gerais, but federal and state operational licenses are still pending.
Samarco is a 50:50 JV between Australia's BHP Billiton and Brazilian miner Vale.
In related news, Vale said it will not financially support Samarco if the company fails to resume operations, Reuters reported on Thursday.
Vale's investor relations head, Rogerio Nogueira, told analysts in São Paulo he did not believe Samarco would need financial support, but in the event its mine was unable to get permission to restart, Vale would not fund Samarco, the report said.
A compensation agreement was reached on March 2 between Samarco, Vale, BHP, the federal attorney general of Brazil, the states of Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais and other public authorities. Under the deal, in the event Samarco fails to comply with the terms, Vale and BHP Billiton will be liable to cover their respective shares.
Subscribe to the most trusted business intelligence platform in Latin America. Let us show you our solutions for Suppliers, Contractors, Operators, Government, Legal, Financial and Insurance.
News in: Mining & Metals (Brazil)

Brazil's mining regulator changes mineral declaration standards
Miners must consider the changes in their reports to be filed by March.

Brazil’s Vale aiming at 2024 5G network implementations
The miner explores opportunities this year and starts first deployments the next, BNamericas was told.
Subscribe to Latin America’s most trusted business intelligence platform.
Other projects in: Mining & Metals (Brazil)
Get critical information about thousands of Mining & Metals projects in Latin America: what stages they're in, capex, related companies, contacts and more.
- Project: Capanema Maximization (ex-Capanema)
- Current stage:
- Updated:
3 months ago
- Project: Posse Gold (Mara Rosa Property)
- Current stage:
- Updated:
3 months ago
- Project: Cuiú Cuiú
- Current stage:
- Updated:
3 months ago
- Project: Block 8 (Brazil)
- Current stage:
- Updated:
4 months ago
- Project: Surubim (Ex Mercurio)
- Current stage:
- Updated:
4 months ago
- Project: Montes Áureos
- Current stage:
- Updated:
3 months ago
- Project: Batistão
- Current stage:
- Updated:
3 months ago
- Project: Trinta
- Current stage:
- Updated:
3 months ago
- Project: Boa Vista
- Current stage:
- Updated:
3 months ago
- Project: Conquista (Candonga West)
- Current stage:
- Updated:
4 months ago
Other companies in: Mining & Metals (Brazil)
Get critical information about thousands of Mining & Metals companies in Latin America: their projects, contacts, shareholders, related news and more.
- Company: SMC Automação do Brasil Ltda.  (SMC Brasil)
-
The description contained in this profile was taken directly from an official source and has not been edited or modified by BNamericas researchers, but may have been automatical...
- Company: Yara Brasil Fertilizantes S.A.  (Yara Fertilizantes)
-
Yara Brasil Fertilizantes S.A. (Yara Fertilizantes) the Brazilian subsidiary of Norwegian fertilizer firm Yara International SAS established in 1977 in Porto Alegre, is engaged ...
- Company: NALCO Water
-
Ecolab is a trusted partner at nearly three million customer locations, Ecolab (ECL) is a global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that protect peopl...
- Company: Mineração Río do Norte S.A.  (MRN)
-
Mineração Rio do Norte (MRN) is a Brazilian firm that operates the country's largest bauxite mine, an open-cut operation located in Porto Trombetas, Pará state, in the Amazon re...
- Company: AMG Mineração S.A.  (AMG Mineração)
-
AMG Mineração S.A., branch in Brazil of the Neetherlander firm Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. (AMG) established in 1945 as MIBRA – Cia Estanho Minas Brasil with head office i...
- Company: Paranapanema S.A.  (Paranapanema)
-
Metal products manufacturer Paranapanema is a Brazilian refined copper producer and also a major manufacturer of semi-finished copper products and alloys. The company has a prod...
- Company: Horizonte Minerals do Brasil Ltda  (HM do Brasil)
-
HM do Brasil Ltda. is a mineral exploration company owned by London-based Horizonte Minerals Plc. through its holding company HM Brazil Ltd. The Brazilian unit manages the Falcã...